Lock.



J. B. HOOVER,

LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.5,1910.

Patented ont. 11,1910.

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JOHN BAXTER HOOVER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Application filed February 5, 1910. Serial No. 542,175.

To all whomy it may concern:

it known that JOHN BAXTER HOOVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofv Elizabeth, in t-he county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

rlhis invention relates to certain improvements in combination locks, and more particularly to that type of lock in which there are a plurality of rotatable members, through each of which a bolt member extends and has locking engagement.

The obj eet of my invention is to attach the lock, so that it may be readily used for securely locking coats, hats or other garments, or umbrellas or other light articles, to any kind of a hook, nail or other hanger. The garments or articles when secured in place by my improved combination lock, cannot be removed save by one knowing the combination. The lock is comparatively small and may be very easily carried in the pocket or in a hand bag, so that it will always be ready for use.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective View showing my improved lock in use; Fig. Q is a longitudinal section through the lock; Fig. 3 is an end view thereof; Fig. f1 is a transverse section on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. it, but showing one of the locking ring members rotated to prevent the removal of the bolt.

My invention includes two relatively movable members, one of which constitutes a bolt or key member and the other of which carries a plurality of ring sections, which may be rotated to hold the two members against relative movement. The two members are so constructed that they may be secured directly to a hook or other hanger, and they are also so constructed as to retain garments or light objects. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, I form one ofv these members of a piece of wire bent to form an upper hook portion 10, a lower hook portion 11, and an intermediate ring or eyelet portion 12. Starting from one end 13 of the wire, said wire extends upwardly transversely and downwardly to form a portion of the hook 10, and is thence curved outwardly in the form of a semi-circle, to form one side of the ring or loop 12. From the lower side of this loop, the wire is bent outwardly and downwardly to form one side of the hook 11, and from the outer free end of the hook the center portion of the wire extends across to constitute a bar 1st. The wire is symmetrical, that is, from the center of the bar portion 1-1, the wire is bent to form the remainder of the hook 11, the opposite side of the loop or eyelet 1Q, and the second portion of the upper hook 10. The free end 13 and the free end 1l of the wire diverge, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the two sides of the lower hook 11 are spaced a considerable distance apart. lt is Of'course evident that this member might be made of a casting or might be constructed in other ways than as shown, so long as the operation is substantially the same. T ie loop or eyelet 12 carries a split sleeve 15, preferably formed of sheet metal, and this sleeve extends outward substantially at right angles to the plane of the loop or eyelet. Mounted upon this sleeve are a plurality of rings 17, each fitting substantially friction tightbut which is free to rotate. Beyond the last ring 17 is a terminal ring 18, which is formed with a loop 19 therebelow, which prevents a free rotation of the terminal ring. The sleeve 15 serves to hold all of the rings together, and to hold them to the hook member of the device.

For securing the parts together, the sleeve is preferably provided with a series of lingers or tongues 20 at each end thereof, which extend through the terminal ring 18 and through the loop 12, and are bent back against the outer sides of this ring and loop, so as toprevent any longitudinal movement of any of the rings in respect to one another. The tongues further tend to prevent any rotation of the sleeve in respect to the loop, so that the slot or split in the sleeve will always be at the side thereof Opposite to the ring 19.

The second member of my device comprises a combined key and bolt 9.1, which is in the form of a bar adapted to extend through the sleeve 15. This bolt has a. notched flange 22 extending along one side thereof and this flange is adapted to extend through the slot or split in the sleeve and into a notch or recess 23 in the inner circumference of each of the rings 17 and 18. The flange is notched to correspond with t-he corrugated inner surface of the series of rings, so that the bolt cannot be inserted except when all of the notches or recesses 23 are in alinement, but after the bolt has been inserted so that the notches in the flange come opposite the several rings, the rings may be rotated and the bolt cannot then be pulled out. The rings fit close together so that one cannot tell from the outside where the notches lie, but the rings bear marks about their periphery, so that one familiar with the marks may rotate the rings to the proper position, to bring the notches into position and to permit the removal of the bolt.

One end of the bolt carries a depending arm or hook 24, and a chain 25 extends from the ring 19 to the lower end of this hook or arm. The chain is of such length that it may be passed through openings, loops, or eyelets on the garments or articles to be supported, and is of sufficient strenoth to support all of the garments or artic es which it would normally be desired to support upon a single hanger or hook. The arm or hook 24 bends downwardly, that is, it extends in 'the opposite direction from the flange 22, and is adapted to pass over the bar portion 14 of the lower lock 11.

In using my improved lock, the bolt or key 21 is removed from the ring and passed through the eyelets, loops or other openings in the garments or articles to be supported, and is then re-inserted through the rings 17 in such a way as to grip a portion 2G of the hook or other wall fixture, either within t-he upper hook portion 10, or between the depending arm 24 and the loop 12, or within the lower loop 14, depending upon the character of the wall fixture. As shown, the wall hook is gripped beneath the bolt 21 and between the hook 24 thereof and the side of the loop. The rings 1T are then rotated and the key or bolt is positively prevented from being pulled out, until the rings are returned to their original position. This can only be done by one familiar with the combination of the lock. he lock is of very small size land thus is handy to carry either in the coat pocket or in a small hand bag, or even in a purse.

It is of course obvious that various changes can be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lock having two members, each provided with a hook, said hooks adapted to cooperate to retain the lock in engagement with a stationary device, a plurality of rotatable rings carried by one of said members and adapted to engage with the other member to hold said members together, and a flexible member having its oppositeends connected to said first-mentioned members.

2. A lock having' a member provided with an opening therethrough, a sleeve having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and in alinement with said opening, a plurality of rings mounted on said sleeve, each having a notch in its inner surface, a second member adapted to move longitudinally through said sleeve and having a notched flange extending through said slot and into the notches of said rings, each of said members having a hook thereon and said hooks adapted to cooperate to retain the lock in engagement with a stationary device and means for holding a garment or the like to said lock.

3. A lock having a member provided wit-h an opening therethrough, a sleeve having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and in alinement with said opening, a plurality of rings mounted on said sleeve, each having a notch in its inner surface, a second member adapted to move longitudinally through said sleeve and having a notched flange extending through said slot and into the notches of said rings, each of said members having a hook thereon and said hooks adapted to cooperate to retain the lock in engagement with a stationary device, and a flexible member having its opposite ends connected to said first-mentioned members.

4. A lock having a member provided with an opening therethrough, a sleeve in alinement with said opening and having a plurality of tongues extending through said opening and retaining the sleeve in position, a plurality of rings rotatably mounted upon said sleeve, a member extending through said sleeve and adapted to be retained therein by said rings, and a flexible member connecting said members, independently of the sleeve and rings.

5. A lock having a hook member, a sleeve extending outwardly from the rear side thereof, a second hook member having a body portion adapted to extend through said sleeve, means encircling said sleeve for retaining said secondmentioned member therein, and a flexible member connecting said hook members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN BAXTER HOOVER.

IVitnesses VILLIAM V. BURKE, ROBERT W. SEAToN. 

